Sycamore & the Angel

Wow! It’s been such a long time since I’ve visited. Time sure seems to fly as you get older LOL.

So, I am still the Senior Warden of the Episcopal Church I attend and we had a large Sycamore tree.  Notice I said, “had”. Well… thanks to Hurricane Hillary, which landed on us as a Tropical Storm, old Sycamore is no more. We have a monthly newsletter and I always submit an article. The loss of the old Sycamore prompted me to write a story. I used to write children’s stories when my sons were little.  I haven’t written one in a very long time. I thought I’d share it here…

 

Sycamore and the Angel

Sycamore spent many years watching over the land where he stood. He watched as people came and went. Some stayed and some moved on. He stood guard as the children played around him and he gave shade to the weary and homeless. At night when no one was around he would gaze up at the stars in awe of their bright brilliant twinkles. It was on one of these nights and the moon was full that an Angel appeared. The angel was in white robes, her wings folded around her softly and her hair lit up by the silver rays of the moonlight. There she sat atop the church roof that Sycamore had always stood guard over. Her bare feet just slightly sticking out from under her robes, and he could see she was curling her toes like a child.

Sycamore knew about angels.  He had watched them come and go from the church over the years, but he had never seen this one.  Sycamore bowed one of his great branches in greeting to the angel…

“Greetings to you my shining one on this beautiful full moon night.”

The angel giggled a reply…

“Greetings to you my knight in foliage armor”

Suddenly the angel leaped from the rooftop of the church, her wings spread wide as she glided to the ground to stand at Sycamore’s roots…

“Great Sycamore, I have come to you with a message from God. He has watched over you as you have watched over his land, his people, and his church. God has a wish to build a great grove of knights in foliage armor like yours to give watch and comfort to everyone in heaven. He wants you, Great Sycamore, to help him build this grove.”

Sycamore was so moved by the angels’ words that he did not know how to respond. But suddenly a troublesome thought came to Sycamore, and he stood tall and voiced his worry to the angel…

“Shining one, I’ve stood guard over this land, these people, and this church for so long. What will happen if I am no longer here to protect?”

The angel wrapped her arms around Sycamore and gave him the most tremendous hug he’d ever received and softly she whispered…

“Fear not great Sycamore for God has a wonderous plan for this land, these people, and this church.”

Sycamore used all his strength to bend over as far as he could and wrapped his branches around the angel—no words needed to be said because he knew that with God, all shall be well.